A new regional trade in West Africa : ‘’Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Program’’ to facilitate the movement of goods and vehicles along six priority corridorsREGIONAL TRADE & GENDER SPECIALIST Location : West Africa (exact location TBD) The World Bank Group (WBG) received funding from the EU, the Government of the Netherlands, and USAID to design and implement a new regional trade facilitation program in West Africa. The initiative, called ‘’Trade Facilitation West Africa (TFWA) Program’’, aims to facilitate the movement of goods and vehicles along six priority corridors : Abidjan-Ouagadougou, Tema-Ouagadougou, Cotonou–Niamey, Dakar-Bamako, Lome–Ouagadougou, and Lagos–Kano-Niamey. TWFA activities, currently under design, will be articulated along three pillars : 1) support to regional trade facilitation measures, in coordination with ECOWAS and UEMOA ; 2) support towards improvement of selected corridors, primarily from a logistics & transport standpoint ; and 3) support to small-scale cross-border traders, especially women. Gender will be mainstreamed across all program components and activities. As part of TFWA’s preparatory analytics, the first phase of a Regional Gender Assessment was completed. The exercise was aimed at a) reviewing existing literature and relevant ongoing initiatives ; b) assess TFWA stakeholders’ needs, priorities and expectations on gender ; and c) preparing a draft matrix of gender-sensitive trade facilitation actions to be supported by TFWA. A regional field survey is also ongoing to generate quantitative & qualitative information on small-scale cross-border trade patterns within the region – considerable attention is given to gender issues under this exercise as well. Following the completion of the mentioned analytical efforts, TFWA implementation will start along the six priority corridors, involving activities related to the enforcement of regional trade measures, the simplification & streamlining of border clearance procedures (with emphasis on those relevant for small-scale traders), and capacity building & awareness-raising, as well as broader women economic empowerment interventions. To support the implementation of TFWA activities on small-scale trade facilitation and gender, the WBG is looking for a Trade and Gender Specialist to join the TFWA gender team, currently comprising a Senior Trade & Gender Specialist and a group of gender experts. Responsibilities : • Provide technical inputs and comments into TFWA program documents such as Terms of Reference (ToRs), workplans, procurement plans, feasibility studies, communications & advocacy plans, training plans, and progress reports ; • Support efforts to mainstream gender into M&E activities and related documents, including M&E framework, survey instruments, and M&E reports, among others ; Selection Criteria • Master of Arts in Economics, Social Sciences, International Development, or other relevant discipline ; • Strong analytical skills, including the ability to identify critical program constraints and to come up with innovative solutions ; Duration The selected candidate will be offered an initial 30-day contract starting on 1 July 2019, with the expectation that s/he will work on an almost-full-time basis (a 75-percent time commitment will apply). Based on performance, the candidate may be subsequently offered a contract extension up to a maximum of 150 days per year for the entire duration of the project (four years). Preference will be given to candidates willing to make a longer-term commitment to the project and to become a stable member of the TFWA team. The World Bank Group is committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality, culture, and educational background. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. |